Achin bombing: Questions that must be answered

Skepticism is growing over the use of the “mother of all bombs” by the United States in Afghanistan’s Achin district. Although both the Americans and Afghan government are in a way trying to cover up the facts, some reports published create new questions and concerns about the use of this largest non-nuclear bomb. The media representatives were not allowed to visit the bombed area even five days after the strike. Additionally, some security sources have told the media that the attack has not targeted the main operational center of Daesh. In an interview with a local media, these sources who have refused to be named have said the bomb has been dropped in another area instead of Daesh’s main camp.

While the government claimed that 94 Daesh terrorists were killed in the bombing, some lawmakers speaking at the plenary session of the lower house on Monday stressed that no one had been killed in the attack. The Islamic State terrorist group has also rejected the claims of casualties in a statement. The members of Wolesi Jirga said the attack was only aimed to test the bomb and also show the strength of US to its rivals, noting that Washington, through such actions, would prompt Moscow to engage further in Afghanistan.

The Achin bombing remains an enigma. Afghans have a lot of questions and concerns about the attack because the information provided so far has come from government sources. No independent and impartial entity has been allowed to visit the bombed region. Some unconfirmed reports suggest that only an American investigation team has reached the scene to assess the impacts of the attack.

Afghan people are not satisfied with the explanation provided by the US about the attack. They also cannot trust the government because the Ministry of Public Health has described the bomb as harmless prior to any investigations. Impartial international organizations remain the only option to opt for to probe into the possible environmental and health risks of the Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB). Of course only if they can truly maintain impartiality. It is the real time to test those who are advocating for human rights and speaking out against the use of nuclear weapons. They should come forward and prove whether the US has used the bomb to eliminate Daesh or test its advanced weaponry.

One factor of the Afghan conflict is the Afghan government's failure to maintain a balance in its foreign policy. The imbalanced foreign policies of governments have paved the ground for Afghanistan to turn into a battlefield of proxy wars.